Crime Stories with Nancy Grace: "Mormon Mom Charged w/ Poisoning Hubby Facing Additional Charges"
Date: December 13, 2025
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and CrimeOnline
Host: Nancy Grace
Episode Overview
Nancy Grace and her expert panel dive deep into the case of Corey Richens—the Utah "Moscow Mule mom," realtor, and children's book author—charged with poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, and now facing a slew of additional felony charges. The discussion unpacks the details of Eric's suspicious death, the mounting evidence against Corey, and the complex familial and financial contexts surrounding the case. The episode balances forensic analysis, criminal law perspectives, and psychological insight, offering a comprehensive exploration of the alleged crime.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Introduction to the Case and the Charges
[03:06]
- Main Theme: Corey Richens, dubbed the “Moscow Mule mom,” is charged with aggravated murder in the fentanyl poisoning death of her husband, Eric Richins (age 39). Additional charges include:
- 5 counts of mortgage fraud
- 7 counts of money laundering
- 1 count of communications fraud
- 1 count of engaging in a pattern of unlawful activity
- 5 counts of forgery
- 7 counts of issuing bad checks
- Nancy Grace: “Even if she was convicted on all of those, she’d get out of jail in no time. It's the murder charge I'm interested in.”
2. Timeline and Circumstances of Eric’s Death
[05:06, 08:54]
- Eric was found dead on the bedroom floor in March after a family celebration (he had closed a business deal).
- Corey made him a Moscow Mule as a celebratory drink. She claimed she later slept in her son's room due to nightmares and found Eric cold to the touch hours later.
- All-star expert panel assembled to analyze the medical, psychological, and investigative aspects.
Notable Quote:
- Nancy Grace: “She goes back in at 3am and her husband is cold to the touch. What a horrible event.”
3. Medical Perspective: Sudden Death in 39-Year-Olds
[05:12–07:58]
- Dr. Kendall Crowns (Chief Medical Examiner): Body can become cold to the touch within 30–60 minutes following death.
- Dr. Paul Christo (Johns Hopkins School of Medicine): It is rare for someone as young as Eric to die suddenly in sleep without an underlying health issue.
- Dr. Angela Arnold (Psychiatrist): Young people rarely die in their sleep unless from specific medical causes; such cases naturally trigger suspicion.
Notable Quotes:
- Dr. Christo [06:37]: “This is a rare event… unless you have underlying cardiac problems… It just doesn’t happen.”
- Dr. Arnold [07:11]: “When we hear of a younger person dying in their sleep, there’s some curiosity about that.”
4. Exploring the Couple's Background
[08:54–10:15]
- Both spouses flipped houses as a business, living comfortably in a $1.1M home near Park City, Utah.
- Eric came from a large, well-known Mormon family in Summit County.
- Despite their religious background (no alcohol, even chocolate as a stimulant), both reportedly drank Moscow Mules the night he died.
Notable Quote:
- Nancy Grace [09:51]: “They’re Mormons, correct? My friends wouldn’t even drink chocolate milk, so these two are having Moscow Mules…”
5. Public Grieving and Media Attention
[11:43, 12:34]
- Corey and her children wrote and promoted a children’s book, "Are You With Me?", about coping with their father’s death, which she promoted on local TV.
Notable Quotes:
- Corey Richens [12:34]: “It’s kind of the three Cs... connection, continuity, and care. Making sure their spirit is always alive in your home…”
- Nancy Grace [13:21]: “How children cope with the death of a dad… these are little, little boys.”
6. The Financial Motive: Mounting Debt and Insurance Policies
[18:00, 40:47]
- Corey secretly took out a $250,000 home equity loan on Eric’s premarital home and used it to fund her realty business.
- K. Richens Realty was in deep debt, owing $1.8M before Eric's death and nearly $5M the next day.
- Prosecutors allege the motive was to access the life insurance payout; after a near-fatal incident on Valentine's Day, Eric changed his will, removing Corey as beneficiary.
Notable Quotes:
- Nancy Grace [18:00]: “That's 250,000 reasons she had to kill him.”
- Nancy Grace [40:47]: “She goes into his life insurance policy... changes it to make her exclusively the life insurance policy beneficiary.”
7. Cause of Death: Fentanyl Poisoning
[21:08]
- Jen Smith: Autopsy revealed five times the lethal dose of fentanyl in Eric’s system. Fentanyl was illegally obtained (not prescription).
- Dr. Christo: Fentanyl is a powerful synthetic opioid. Illicit versions are common street drugs.
Notable Quotes:
- Jen Smith [21:08]: “He had five times that amount in his body.”
- Dr. Christo [22:15]: “Fentanyl is synthetic… non-synthetic would be codeine or morphine. This means it’s just made in the laboratory…”
8. Patterns and Prior Incidents
[28:49–31:27]
- Eric suspected Corey of poisoning him previously:
- On a family trip to Greece.
- On Valentine’s Day, after dinner with Corey, he became violently ill and told friends he suspected her.
- Used EpiPen and Benadryl but fell unconscious.
- After the Valentine's incident, Eric changed the beneficiaries on his will and power of attorney.
Notable Quote:
- Jen Smith [28:49]: “Not only is that disturbing, but more so is the fact that this was the second time he thought she had tried to poison him.”
9. The Digital Footprint and Drug Purchases
[33:52–36:33]
- Cell phone records contradicted Corey’s alibi—her phone was active while she claimed it was charging and unused.
- Deleted messages and purchases of fentanyl traced to a drug dealer; Corey requested “Michael Jackson stuff” (street talk for fentanyl).
- She purchased $900 worth of fentanyl before both the Valentine’s Day poisoning attempt and Eric’s fatal ingestion.
Notable Quotes:
- Ariel Harrison [33:52]: “Evidence showed Corey was in contact with a drug dealer… leading up to Eric’s death.”
- Bobby Chacon [36:33]: “The minute those phone records come back and you realize she lied to you, she has to become suspect number one.”
10. Legal Insights: Use of Prior Bad Acts and Hearsay
[27:59, 43:43]
- Jeffrey Wolf (Criminal Defense Attorney):
- Prior bad acts (Rule 404b) can be introduced if they establish motive, scheme, or pattern—not merely to show defendant acted “in conformity therewith.”
- Hearsay exceptions (present sense impression, excited utterance) may allow statements from Eric about fearing for his life to be heard at trial.
- Debate over legal barriers:
- Nancy Grace argues these exceptions exist precisely for cases like this.
- Wolf acknowledges exceptions but notes courts are cautious about criminal defendants’ rights.
Notable Quotes:
- Wolf [27:59]: “It can come in for motive, scheme... plan, modus operandi...”
- Wolf [44:12]: “Present sense impression allows those statements of somebody who is not available to be cross examined to come in.”
11. Psychological Analysis: Corey’s Actions Post-Death
[49:56]
- Writing and promoting a children’s book about grief while allegedly responsible for Eric’s death is explored as evidence of her lack of emotional attachment.
- Dr. Arnold discusses attachment theory, suggesting Corey shows a “complete lack of attachment to her husband.”
Notable Quote:
- Dr. Arnold [49:56]: “It doesn’t mean you’re insane—but she doesn’t have any attachment.”
Memorable Moments & Quotes
- Nancy Grace [18:00]: “That's 250,000 reasons she had to kill him.”
- Jen Smith [21:08]: “He had five times that amount in his body.”
- Dr. Christo [22:56]: “You make it in a laboratory? Well, they make it in an RV sometimes, but you just make it. You cook it up?”
- Ariel Harrison [33:52]: “She requested for, quote, the Michael Jackson stuff, asking specifically for fentanyl.”
- Bobby Chacon [36:33]: “She made herself suspect number one.”
- Nancy Grace [49:30]: “Well, that’s going to hurt her a whole lot more than murdering her husband.”
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Corey Richens' Additional Charges: [03:06]
- Timeline of Eric’s Death: [05:06], [08:54]
- Medical Analysis on Sudden Death: [05:12–07:58]
- Background and Family Dynamics: [08:54–10:15]
- Media Coverage of Grief Book: [11:43], [12:34]
- Financial Motive & Debt: [18:00], [40:47]
- Fentanyl Details & Toxicology: [21:08–23:41]
- Prior Poisoning Attempts: [28:49–31:27]
- Phone Evidence & Drug Purchases: [33:52–36:33]
- Legal Discussion (Rule 404b, Hearsay): [27:59], [43:43]
- Psychological Insight into Corey: [49:56]
Podcast Tone & Style
- Language & Tone: Direct, at times sarcastic or darkly humorous (Nancy Grace's sharp commentary is a hallmark), no-nonsense expert analysis, emotionally engaged, especially regarding the impact on the victim’s family.
- Notable Style Elements:
- Frequent interruption for clarification and personal anecdotes.
- Rapid-fire questioning, especially from Nancy Grace.
- Blend of legal, medical, psychological, and investigative expertise adds depth.
Summary Takeaways
- This episode presents a damning portrait of Corey Richens: facing both murder and a mountain of financial crime charges.
- The narrative weaves together forensic findings (high levels of illicit fentanyl), a suspicious timeline, financial stressors, prior attempts on the victim’s life, and digital evidence that undermines Corey’s alibi.
- The panel discusses how these elements converge to suggest a calculated plot for financial gain—with experts emphasizing the rare, deliberate nature of the crime.
- As trial looms, the consensus is clear: the prosecution’s case is buttressed by a mosaic of suspicious behaviors, damning medical and forensic evidence, and a compelling financial motive.
Nancy Grace's Closing Words:
“Murder suspect Corey Richards, clearly swimming in millions of dollars of debt. And she believed, according to prosecutors, her husband's life insurance policy would take care of it all. But first, he had to die. We wait. As this case goes to trial and justice unfolds.”
[50:23]